Aspiring village councilor slain

A man running for a post in the coming barangay elections was shot dead Monday night by a man and a woman riding on a motorcycle in Pasay City.

The victim identified as Anthony Echavez, 36, of Cuyegkeng St., Barangay 4, Pasay City, sustained five gunshot wounds in the chest and was declared dead on arrival at Ospital ng Maynila.

The victim was running as a village councilor in their area.

Victim’s neighbor Orlando Buenaventura, 54, was hit by a stray bullet during the incident and is now recuperating from his wound.

Based on the report of Pasay City Police chief Senior Supt. Noel Flores, the incident occurred at around 10:35 p.m. near the victim’s residence.

According to investigators, the victim and some of his relatives and friends were playing darts when the suspects on board a motorcycle appeared. The lady suspect pulled out a gun and shot Echavez multiple times.

The two swiftly escaped towards Salud St. and Buendia Avenue after the incident.

Relatives of the victim said Echavez had no known enemy and was never involved in illegal drugs and other anomalies.

They added that the victim owned a small business and was a good man in their village.

Police said that one of of the siblings of Echavez is an incumbent village councilor in their area. They are now in the process of acquiring CCTV footage that might have captured the incident. (Dhel Nazario)